Fruit-picker



(No Model.)

W. S. CASTOR.

FRUIT PIGKER.

No 282,051. Patented July 81,1888.

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1 UNITED STATES PATENT O FICE.

\VILLIAM S. CASTOR, OF MARSTON, ILLINOIS.

FRUIT-PICKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 282,051, dated July 31 1883.

I Application filed March 30, 1883. No model) lowing is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a perspective of a fruit-picker constructedin accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2, an enlarged perspective otla portion of the same; Fig. 3, a plan and side elevation of a joint in the pole of the picker, and Fig. 4 a front view (open) and a sectional view (closed) of the sack-mouth.

Like letters indicate like parts in all the fig ures.

A represents the pole, which may be formed in one or more sections. Vhen of more than one section, each is adapted to be temporarily connected or joined to the other by being chamfered, as shown in Fig. 3, and also provided with a staple, a, into which the point of the other is introduced to such distance as is permitted by the shoulders a, formed on each of said points, when a bolt or pin, a is inserted through one section and into the other, whereby they are firmly held against longitudinal or lateral mox ement one upon the other, and this without projections from either.

B represents the mouth or instrumentality for picking the fruit; and it consists in a wire hoop, bent at a portion to form aslot, b, and, when attached orconnected to the tube or throat 0, forms a cup-shaped receptacle having an opening in its wall, so that when the fruit is within the receptacle its stem passes through the slot b, and by a slight effort the stem is broken, and the fruit rolls down the throat until it is caught in the slack section 0'. At the upper end of said slack section, as at c, the pole A emerges from the throat, and a loop, 0, is secured to the section at such a distance from the receiving-sack D that when said loop is about the arm of the operator the section from said loop to the sack is straight ened by extending the arm, while when the arm is not extended there are formed in said section two depressions or pockets, 0' c The sack l) is, by means of suitable straps,

as (Z, adapted to be supported 011 the back of the operator. The mouth of the sack is socured to a series of bars, two of which, 0 c, are at one end pivotally joined to two others, 6 e, and at the other end each is pivotally connected to a link, 0 so that when disposed side by side the mouth of the sack is closed, and when distended laterally, as shown in Fig. 4, in front elevation, the sack is open. Two of the bars, as e e, are beveledat their outer edges, to adapt them to retain the clamp F, which serves to secure them and the bars 6 e in a closed position when said clamp is pushed to ward the center of the mouth of the sack.

Other means may be employed to fasten the sack-mouth, if desired, and, as far as the slack section, provided with the loop 0, or other suitable means for forming two or more pockets, 0 0 is concerned, other forms of sacks or none may be employed.

It is apparent that, the'whole apparatus being made of light material, which may be, so far as the upper sections of the throat are 0011- cerned, of light sheet metal, but slight strength is required to manipulate it. y

Fruit may be selected on the tree and dc posited in the first or upper pocket of the slack section without bruise orother injury, when the extension of the pole to select and pick other fruit straightens said upper pocket and delivers the fruit into the second pocket in said section. The second fruitis now received into the first pocket, and, by straightening the arm, the first fruit is delivered into the sack. In this manner the sack is filled without injury to the fruit, and by drawing the clasp up the sack may be emptied into any suitable receptacle.

I am aware that by grasping the tube closely about the pole a check in the fall of the fruit -may be produced; but by the use of a section of the tube separated from the pole and provided with a loop adapted to receive the arm such a check may be twice produced without requiring the use of one or both hands.

Having described my invention and its op eration, what I claim is-' 1. The combination of the throat C, pole A, and hoop B, having the slot 1) formed centrally in the wire by bending it upon itself, to form a loop integral with and disposed below the esaosn hoop, and curved inwardly to approximate a O, separated from the pole and having loop cup shape, substantially as shown and de- G", with the sack D, substantially as specified. scribed. 5. The combination of the sack D and bars 2. The pole-sections A, chamfered as shown, a c c 0, links c ,a11(1 clamp F, substantially as 15 5 and provided with the shoulders a and staples shown and described.

(1 in combination with each other and with the In testimony whereof I affix my signature in pin a substantially as shown and described. presence of two witnesses.

3. The combination of the pole A and the VILLIAM S. (/ASTOR. slack section 0, separated from the pole and \Vitnesses: IO having a loop, 0", substantially as specified. THOS. J. HoLMEs,

4. The combination of the pole Aand section L. H. CA sToR. 

